Starlight Cinema: Schedule for free summer outdoor movies announced

Start planning for Starlight Cinema in Centreville!   Each year the county’s Sully District Supervisor (Kathy Smith), supporters, and corporate sponsors present these popular outdoor free summer movies in August at Trinity Centre in Centreville, Virginia. Starlight Cinema series features family-friendly hits that you can enjoy as a “drive-in” movie (in your car) or a picnic-style event by sitting on the ground closer to the screens. Admission is free.

Movie take place on Saturday nights around 6 pm with an outdoor pre-movie program of music, food, and kids’ activities such as moon bounces. Then around dusk (usually at 7:30 or 8 pm) the fun continues with the movie (all films in the series are rated PG). The line-up of free summer movies for 2018 is:

• Aug. 4 – “The Little Mermaid” (1989)
  
• Aug. 11 – “Early Man” (2018)
  
• Aug. 18 – “LEGO Batman Movie” (2018)
  
• Aug.  25 – “Coco” (2018)

Planning on attending? We have attended Starlight Cinemas shows for several years and can offer some good pointers.   Here are our top tips for attending Startlight Cinema:

• Recommended age:  These are family-friendly events, so they’re open to all ages. However, the film ratings (rated PG) and time of the event (movies won’t end until at 9:30 or later) you may want to carefully consider bringing babies or toddlers. Each family is different, but if I had to take a generalized guess, I’d say ages 6 and up is best.  Planners note that “movies selected are chosen to appeal to the whole community; films that parents can bring their children to, but adults can also enjoy.” The event is in a parking lot (hard surface) so also keep this in mind if your little ones like to run around a lot.
• Pre-movie activities:  All activities are free, including before the show. There is often a live music act, moon bounces, giveaways, or other fun for kids from sponsors and vendors, such as physical activities, balloons, and face-painting.
  
• Where to park:  Trinity Centre (5860 trinity parkway, Centreville, VA 20120) is a large corporate complex, and this event takes place in one of the parking lots.  There is plenty of parking on-site and across the street (all free), and police and staff will direct you to the right spots. If you want to watch the movies from your car, come early, since late arrivals may not be able to park in the “drive-in” spots.
  
• Where to sit:  The idea of a drive-in is fun, but honestly, August in Northern Virginia can be hot and muggy, even at night, and you can’t run your engine to have air conditioning. Most people, it seems, end up sitting in the open air. Since you will be sitting on a parking lot, so chairs or blankets are a must (this is not “lawn seating” — there isn’t much of a lawn!). The area toward the front is reserved for those sitting on blankets; chairs are in the back, then cars. The movie is usually displayed on two giant portable outdoor screens.
  
• Food – bring or buy:  You can pack a picnic, but if you don’t want to lug around more stuff, fear not: you usually have at least a couple of choices for dinner (such as pizza or sandwiches) and snacks (popcorn, ice cream, etc.) that vendors sell. You can bring a cooler and picnic baskets; no alcoholic drinks are allowed.
  
• What to bring:  Food or money for snacks, bottled water, bug repellent/wipes, folding/camp chairs, blankets to sit on (double up or bring yoga mats to use as pads… the ground is hard!), and maybe a light jacket or extra blanket for those cool nights. You also can bring an FM radio to tune in to the right channel (they’ll announce the broadcast band) if you want to hear the movie better.
  
• Restrooms:  There are porta-potties on site.
  
• Courtesies:  Please be mindful of those around you, especially those seated behind you who may not be able to see if your group has high-back chairs, extra-large coolers, balloons, or other things that may block the view of other guests. Remember everyone is watching at the same level and doesn’t have the usual inclined seating you get at a theatre.
  
• Weather woes:  As noted on the official event site, “for last minute performance cancellations due to inclement weather, call 703-324-SHOW (7469) one hour prior to the program start time.”  From my experience, they’re usually good about “making the call” early on to give you plenty of time to plan whether to go or not.